Education briefs

Peak Universities is holding a series of community forums as it moves to influence national higher education policy over the longer term. The body, representing 39 universities, is asking business and the community for input on what the objectives of higher education should be over next decade and beyond. Forums have already been held in Canberra and Geelong. A third will take place in Rockhampton on July 5 and another will be held at Curtin University in Perth on July 1. A major position paper will be released later this year. Universities Australia chief executive Belinda Robinson said university policy was something that deserved mainstream attention given the importance of education and research to the nation’s future.

Listed education business
Navitas
has appointed Emeritus Professor Tracey Horton, the former dean of the University of Western Australia’s business school, a non-executive director.

The Australian Institute of Company Directors will deliver a second round of Board Diversity Scholarships, which aim to lift the representation of women on Australian boards. With $225,000 from the federal government, 70 scholarships will be awarded to high-performing women over the next two years, giving them the opportunity to attend either the institute’s flagship company directors course or the Mastering the Boardroom offering.

University of Wollongong vice-chancellor Professor Paul Wellings is among a handful of Australians in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Professor Wellings will be made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to higher education. The investiture will be held later this year. Professor Wellings was vice-chancellor of Lancaster University in the UK for nine years until 2011, and became vice-chancellor of Wollongong at the beginning of this year.

The Australian National University has confirmed cuts to staff in its School of Music to contain debt predicted to reach $2.9 million this year. Vice-chancellor Ian Young said on Friday that 24 academic positions would be reduced to 13 and two administrative staff members would lose their jobs. The National Tertiary Education Union condemned the move. The union’s ACT division secretary, Stephen Darwin, said the cuts would “rob the ANU and the Canberra community of prestigious musical teaching talent and students". He said the union would immediately initiate an “industrial response".

The University of NSW has appointed Iain Martin deputy vice-chancellor (academic). Professor Martin, who trained as a surgeon, joins UNSW from the University of Auckland. He will replace Richard Henry, who is retiring.

Garry Marchant and Ken Dillon have been appointed to senior roles at Charles Sturt University. Professor Marchant, an expert in strategy and performance measurement, will leave a post at Bond University to become CSU’s new deputy vice-chancellor (academic). Professor Dillon, who has been with CSU for 25 years, has been appointed deputy vice-chancellor (administration).